Parker: My thanks to commissioners is long overdue

Published: Sunday, March 17, 2013 at 04:56 PM.

I am about a month late with this thank you note. Still, being late is better than never saying thank you.

On Feb. 18, the Lenoir County Commissioners unanimously adopted a resolution in support of individuals to keep and bear arms under our nation’s Second Amendment.

One of the most historically ignorant arguments offered in favor of gun control is that the Second Amendment is authorizing an official state group, such as the National Guard, to “keep and bear arms.” After all, the amendment says, “A well-regulated Militia,” doesn’t it?

One of the reasons the Second Amendment was added to the constitution – in what we call “The Bill of Rights” – is because some states refused to ratify the U.S. Constitution until they were assured that a declaration of basic rights was going to be added.

Please notice that prohibitions against Congress making laws restricting freedom of speech, freedom of religion, freedom of the press, and the freedom of the people to peacefully assemble comprise the First Amendment.

What did those who framed our constitution place in the second place?

“A well regulated Militia being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed.”

I am about a month late with this thank you note. Still, being late is better than never saying thank you.

On Feb. 18, the Lenoir County Commissioners unanimously adopted a resolution in support of individuals to keep and bear arms under our nation’s Second Amendment.

One of the most historically ignorant arguments offered in favor of gun control is that the Second Amendment is authorizing an official state group, such as the National Guard, to “keep and bear arms.” After all, the amendment says, “A well-regulated Militia,” doesn’t it?

One of the reasons the Second Amendment was added to the constitution – in what we call “The Bill of Rights” – is because some states refused to ratify the U.S. Constitution until they were assured that a declaration of basic rights was going to be added.

Please notice that prohibitions against Congress making laws restricting freedom of speech, freedom of religion, freedom of the press, and the freedom of the people to peacefully assemble comprise the First Amendment.

What did those who framed our constitution place in the second place?

“A well regulated Militia being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed.”

When James Madison wrote in favor of adopting the U.S. Constitution in Federalist 46, he made this comment that informs his thinking about the Second Amendment. One of the fears of the states revolved around a standing federal army. Madison said the federal government could only field between 25,000 to 30,000 in its army at that time.

Madison then observed: “To these would be opposed a militia amounting to near half a million of citizens with arms in their hands, officered by men chosen from among themselves, fighting for their common liberties, and united and conducted by governments possessing their affections and confidence.”

Madison’s implication is clear – privately armed citizens could stand in the way of any federal coup that attempted to threaten their liberties. These militias of private citizens would form at the local and state levels.

Another implication: People free to bear arms are citizens. Those not free to bear arms are subjects.

One key issue the resolution points out is that those who have no respect for the law in general are not going to respect gun laws. The only people who obey guns laws are law-abiding citizens. I wonder how many guns used in crimes were obtained legally by those who perpetrated crimes.

In the case of the Sandy Hook school massacre, if the allegations are true, Adam Lanza murdered his mother Nancy, stole her guns, and committed 26 more murders at the school. The 20-year-old could not have purchased the weapons on his own. He obviously had no respect for the laws of the state, of the nation or even of human nature.

As of 2009, the United States had a population of 307 million. As of 2010, roughly 300 million fire arms are in the hands of 100 million gun owners.

According to the FBI, around 16,272 murders occurred in the United States. Of that total, 67 percent (10,886) involved a firearm. The proposition “fewer guns equal fewer murders” seems to make sense until …

We consider data from a 2000 survey published in the Journal of Quantitative Criminology that shows each year civilians use guns to defend themselves or others 989,883 times.

We seldom hear about the positive side of gun ownership. Quantifying how many times guns stop crime is nearly impossible. We rarely hear about the shooters stopped because an armed, off-duty police officer or someone with a concealed carry permit was on the scene.

I am thankful our commissioners stood side-by-side in their defense of our Second Amendment rights. Regardless of party affiliation and political philosophy, all the commissioners understand the need to support and defend our basic state and federal constitutional rights.

Mike Parker is a columnist for The Free Press. You can reach him at mparker16@suddenlink.net or in care of this newspaper.